Myanmar, India step up cooperation in health sector

Myanmar, India step up cooperation in health sectorYangon, Aug 3:  Myanmar and India are stepping up bilateral cooperation in the health sector, a media report said.

Talks have taken place between the Myanmar Union Health Minister Pe Thet Khin and Indian Ambassador to Myanmar Villur Sundararajan Seshadri in Nay Pyi Taw, Xinhua reported Wednesday.

The negotiation covered upgrading of Yangon's Children's Hospital and Sittway General Hospital, provision of telemedicine for Yangon General Hospital, training specialists and other medical professionals for liver transplantation and other subjects, said the official daily New Light of Myanmar reported Wednesday.

In February, India held a pharmaceuticals exposition in Yangon, showcasing pharmaceutical products and medical equipment of India.

Myanmar imported over 5,000 categories of pharmaceutical products from abroad annually and the import in the fiscal year 2009-10 registered a value of $147.7 million, an increase of 17.4 percent from 2008-09.

According to official statistics, Myanmar-India bilateral trade reached $1.07 billion in 2010-11, standing as Myanmar's fourth largest trading partner after Thailand, Singapore and China.

Of the total, Myanmar's export to India amounted to $876.91 million, while its import from India was valued at $194.92 million. (IANS)